A year after her body was discovered in a Manchester river, a woman has finally been identified.
The body of 38-year-old Laura Stanley was found by a member of the public in the River Mersey, near Chorlton Water Park, on 21 March 2023. Greater Manchester Police had released a facial reconstruction image, created by FaceLab at Liverpool John Moores University, in hopes of identifying her.
Following the image's release, Ms Stanley's family, who are originally from Derbyshire but were living in Stockport at the time of her death, contacted the police. A DNA match, confirmed through familial links, positively identified her. The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms Stanley's death.
In a tribute, her family said: “Laura was a kind and gentle person with a great sense of fun and adventure.
“She was generous, thoughtful, caring and always keen to volunteer within the community.
“Laura was a proud and loving mum and she will be greatly missed by her girls and all of her friends and family who loved her dearly.”
Investigations will now be carried out into the final movements of Ms Stanley, who police believe was last seen in January 2024.
The force’s professional standards directorate is reviewing a previous missing report relating to her in the time before the discovery of her body, a spokesman said.
Detective Inspector Louise Edwards said: “For the last twelve months, the investigation team have worked meticulously on this case, demonstrating commitment and dedication to giving Laura her identity back and reuniting her with her family and loved ones.
“I would like to pass my condolences on to all of those who knew Laura, especially her family, who we are continuing to support at this awfully difficult time.
“We will now continue to investigate Laura’s last movements and how she ultimately came to be discovered in the River Mersey just over a year ago.
“These are answers her family deserve and we will be keeping them updated as we carry out this work.”
Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101, using the Live Chat Service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log number 1191 of 21 March 2024, or calling Major Incident Team Syndicate 3 directly on 0161 856 9479.
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